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The third event organized by the Sablon Diplomatic Circle was a resounding success! Members, accompanied by a guest of their choice, had the privilege of attending an exceptional guided tour of the Royal Palace, specially opened for the occasion.
Upon arrival, participants were welcomed in the ceremonial vestibule, adorned with royal busts and majestic portraits of our sovereigns. They then ascended the grand staircase made of white marble, admiring along the way the statue of Minerva, goddess of peace, before reaching the antechamber. This room provides access to the official balcony, reserved exclusively for the sovereigns… with one notable exception: on October 9, 1970, the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission were received by King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola, and had the honor of greeting the crowd from this balcony.
The tour continued through iconic areas of the Palace: the Empire Room, the office once used by King Albert I, the Grand Gallery inspired by Versailles, the Throne Room used for major official receptions, and finally the Hall of Mirrors.
It was in this last room—decorated in 2002 with several hundred thousand iridescent beetle elytra in blue-green hues by artist Jan Fabre, at the request of Queen Paola—that ambassadors were able to relive an emotionally charged moment. Indeed, it was in this room that many of them had presented their letters of credence to the sovereign. A return to a symbolic place, filled with memories and solemnity, but in a decidedly more relaxed context.
